1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fireplace cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to a vacuum apparatus for cleaning fireplaces which fits into the fireplace to engage the flue and is connected to a conventional vacuum cleaner.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The usual procedure for cleaning the flue or flue liner of fireplaces and wood burning stoves is to secure a sheet of plastic material over the firebox or large opening of the fireplace and then a person on the roof of the house inserts a conventional chimney cleaning brush down into the flue from the top end and manipulates the brush to dislodge soot, ash, and particles of the burned materials from the side wall of the flue (and flue liner). The loose soot, ash, and particles fall down onto the hearth (floor) of the fireplace. Usually, much of the lighter soot and ash will escape through the plastic sheet and fill the air in the room in which the fireplace is located, and the larger particles will spill onto the floor of the dwelling.
The dust (soot, ash, and particles) is allowed to settle on the hearth (floor) of the fireplace, and after a considerable period of time, the plastic sheet can be removed. The dislodged materials must then be removed with a small shovel and dumped into a container which also causes the lighter particles to fill the air. After the larger particles have been scooped up, a vacuum cleaner is used to suck up the remaining smaller particles. The air turbulence created by the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner will also swirl the particles into the air.
The above described procedure is dirty, time consuming, inefficient, and often results in damage to the interior of the home. Also, the person doing the cleaning will sometimes inhale quantities of the soot, ash, and other particle of the burned materials into their lungs which is a serious health hazard.
Others have designed apparatus in an attempt to overcome this problem. Evans, U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,590 discloses a fireplace vacuum system which is permanently built into the fireplace and designed to remove ashes to a remote location. Evans teaches permanently mounting a rectangular metal ash collection box within the hearth (floor) of the fireplace by drilling a hole then adding one layer of brick to enclose the ash collection box. A fireproof suction pipe is connected to the collection box and runs through the hearth (fireplace floor), underneath the floor of the house or through an exterior wall into a storage closet where a connection is provided for connecting the pipe to an industrial vacuum cleaner. This apparatus requires extensive modification to the existing fireplace and walls (and floor) of the house and makes no provision for cleaning the flue.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and this patent in particular by a vacuum apparatus for temporary installation in a fireplace or stove of the type having a central opening with a floor at the bottom and a flue at the top thereof for cleaning the flue. The apparatus includes a hollow funnel-shaped adapter member configured at its upper end to generally conform to the size and shape of the bottom portion or throat of the flue of the fireplace and has a bottom end connected by a flexible hose to the inlet of a collection container. The collection container has an outlet which receives the free end of a vacuum cleaner hose which is connected to the intake of a conventional vacuum cleaner. The adapter member is supported by a pair of spring biased telescoping legs which maintain a resilient seal at the top end of the adapter member in sealing relation with the bottom portion or throat of the flue of the fireplace. When the vacuum vacuum cleaner is on, soot, ash, and particles of burned materials dislodged from the interior of the flue by a chimney brush will be drawn into the adapter member, and through the flexible hose, into the interior of the collection container wherein heavier materials will fall to the bottom of the container and lighter materials will be drawn from the container and inducted into the conventional vacuum cleaner and captured by an existing filter in the conventional vacuum cleaner.